Crochet for a happier you

Browsing Category: Healing

There is a link between Crochet and Positive Psychology

This is the first one of a series of Positive Emotions posts. One of the leading researchers in the field of Positive Psychology, Barbara Fredrickson, has called these Emotions the tiny engines that lead to a happier life.

Today I want to write more about Inspiration.
This is one of the positive emotions I did not think to count when I tried to name ten. It is also one that I love to connect to crochet. Continue Reading

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This is the second post about the positive psychology – crochet link and I’m so excited to share some of the things I’ve learned about this subject over the past few years!

Use Crochet to get on the “Upward Spiral”

Positive Psychology proposes the concept of an “upward spiral”. A positive emotion will bring with it a more positive appraisal of your circumstances, a more positive response from you to an occurrence and from others towards you, thus affecting not only your current situation but also shaping your future. In the long run, happiness is simply the consequence of adding more and more of these little positive emotions into our everyday life.

I almost feel like there should be an exclamation point at the end. The simplicity is very exciting to me. With this concept in mind it starts to make sense exactly why crocheting has a self described therapeutic effect for so many people.

Why The Happiness Odds are against us

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Why Crochet Therapy?

I love this project “crochettherapy” and I am constantly trying to redefine what makes this idea of crocheting to heal so compelling to me. Lately I have been asking and re-asking myself the question why I have started all of this in the first place and it is becoming more and more clear that I want to make crochet / creativity for a happiness boost my life’s work.

Focus on Happiness

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Mandalas for the #Mandalasformarinke Project

Depression has reared it’s ugly head and claimed a beautiful member of the online crochet community. Marinke (Wink), the woman behind A Creative Being. I have come across her colorful Blog many times and it has given me so much inspiration, always leaving me with an urge to create. Sadly we have recently lost a family member on my husbands side to suicide and watching him and his father grieve makes me feel deeply for Winks family. This last resort leaves the survivors with a heart filled with “what if’s” and this nagging question might be the hardest to overcome.

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Does not crocheting for a while affect your mood?

It has been a little bit crazy around here lately as we are moving so crocheting is on hold for another month or so and I am actually noticing a difference in my mood! I am unwillingly conducting an experiment and the results are much more significant than I had expected.Have you ever noticed a change in your mood when it’s been a while since you have picked up your hook?

Crochet and mindfulness

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GOOD NEWS EVERYONE! WHILE YOU ARE HAVING FUN PLAYING WITH YARN, YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY BE HELPING YOUR BRAIN.

READ THESE AMAZING RESULTS OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON HOW CROCHET MAKES YOU SMARTER:

CROCHET AGAINST DEMENTIA!

Scientists at the Mayo clinic in Minnesota have conducted a study on knitters and crocheters and have found that these hobbies lower their risk of developing dementia by 40 percent. That’s quite significant!

THE POWER IS IN THE REPETITION!

If you have a hobby where you repeat certain tasks over a longer period of time you are likely to reach a point of complete relaxation, comparable to the effects of yoga or meditation.This, my friends, is not only good for your brain, but also great for your heart

BETTER YOUR LEARNING SKILLS!

Repetition is also key in this benefit. Relevant, repetitive tasks that you practice often, like crocheting, are important for forming synapses, thus improving your ability to learn new things.

THINK LIKE A MANAGER!

Crocheting demands attention from both of your brains hemispheres. Much like the job description of a managerial position, you need creative ideas and quick problem solving skills when you are working on a project. Have you ever seen the look on non crocheters faces when they try to figure out a pattern? It takes imagination and logic to follow these complicated instructions!

STIMULATE YOUR REWARDS CENTER!

The feeling of accomplishment when you hold a finished project in your hands is like eating candy without the calories. The reward center of your brain gets stimulated when you have completed a creative project. This will shower you with endorphins and have a positive effect on your self confidence and your mood. Studies have been done with eating disorder patients who crochet or knit and not only did it reduce their anxiety, more than half talked about an improved feeling of self worth!

I can tell you from first hand experience about crochet reducing anxiety and the benefits of feeling like you have accomplished something!

Our grandparents knew it. Making something with your own two hands is a key factor for happiness. It’s time we remember and value this!!

How to be happier in 5 1/2 steps

Lately I have been on a quest to become happier and I have gathered some insight that I think can help others out of a slump too. Crochet is and was a major contributor and really helped me turn my life around!